The History of Labradors and What to Expect

Labradors are great dogs but there are certain things that you will want to be aware of before deciding on this breed. Behavior problems in particular can be difficult to deal with and you will want to know what to expect before choosing this breed so that you can decide whether you will be able to handle this or not.

For one, Labradors can be very demanding, and like to have a lot of attention put on them. If you are a busy professional or otherwise are often out of the home, then there most likely will be a problem. Labradors often take out their frustrations of being alone by lashing out or barking incessantly. Also known as separation anxiety, this is a common problem with dogs, and should be dealt with immediately. Of course the best way would be to try and stay home as often as you can but this is not always possible and so there should be other things that you can do.

There are a few tips that can be helpful in dealing with your dog’s separation anxiety problem, but the first thing you should try is quite simple. Get them out for more exercise, even if this just means taking them for a walk around the block. The more physically active they are the better they are going to feel, and therefore the less likely they will be to have any behavioral problems.

Another idea is to begin softening your returns and departures. This means when you are going to leave, instead of giving the dog extra attention because you think this is going to help your Labradors behavior, you should try to slip out the door while they are not looking, or at least make yourself as unnoticeable as possible. This will train the dog to understand that you have to go out and that they just have to deal with it. If you try these things and find that your Labrador's separation anxiety is not getting any better, there are a few more options but these are only for more serious cases and you should definitely discuss this problem with your veterinarian before deciding on anything.

Medication is available for Labradors to treat separation anxiety, namely anti-anxiety medication. This can be helpful in calming your dog and keeps them from freaking out every time you leave the home. The problem with these drugs is that, just as they would in humans, they can cause a dependency in dogs and so you need to be very careful when administering medication to your dog. You also need to realize that no matter what medication you are giving your dog, this cannot be deemed as a long-term solution, so you will need to work together with your veterinarian in order to come up with a lifelong plan to deal with your dog’s behavioral problems.

Being experienced with canines, Brooke Sunderland understands how much of a problem separation anxiety can be and how important it is to deal with it properly. If you need help dealing with your Labrador and a separation anxiety problem then you can speak to your veterinarian or a dog behavior specialist who will be able to offer you helpful advice. If you are interested in getting more Labrador information to help you deal with their separation anxiety problem, speak to your veterinarian or get some dog books.